2015 Volunteers’ Week and the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

Volunteering among young people is increasing, and the government’s ‘Step Up to Serve’ campaign has encouraged this. Volunteers’ Week is an annual event that takes place on 1-7 June, celebrating the contribution of millions of volunteers across the UK. The event is run by NCVO in partnership with Development Scotland, Volunteer Now and Wales Council for Voluntary Action. Events take place throughout the country showcasing the different volunteering roles on offer, taster sessions and team challenges as well as award ceremonies and launching new volunteering campaigns.
This week also marks the announcement of the winners for the 2015 Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This year, 187 voluntary groups have received the award, which is a 60% increase since last year. This increase demonstrates the thriving nature of the voluntary sector and its ambition to tackle community challenges. Amongst the winners were Ablaze, a charity that recruits volunteers from the business sector to enter schools in disadvantaged areas and provide additional help with childrens’ learning. The charity has been immensely successful, improving the education of thousands of children with the help from 2,000 regular volunteers.
Hannah Wenban, Research Executive, FK&Y